Mr. Buff set to defend back-to-back crowns in Empire Classic Saturday at Belmont Park. NYRA Photo.
By Tom Law
Saturday’s Empire Showcase Day card – despite being without two marquee grass races shifted because of this week’s weather – attracted 100 entries for the 10 races worth $1,625,000.
“Empire New York Showcase Day highlights the very best NY-breds in competition, displaying the talented Thoroughbreds our state’s breeders contribute to all divisions across New York racing,” said Najja Thompson, Executive Director of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. “The day is a credit to not only our breeders, but horsemen, owners and NYRA who have invested in the New York-bred program with tremendous results.
“The lucrative purses and incentives eligible to New York-breds makes our state-bred program exceptional. Empire Showcase Day caps our three annual stakes-laden all New York-bred cards on the NYRA circuit and each have proven to be an attractive wagering product to bettors as well.”
Six stakes are on tap – including the co-featured $300,000 Empire Classic Handicap and the $250,000 Empire Distaff Handicap. Four of the day’s races were carded for the grass but the originally scheduled $200,000 Ticonderoga for older fillies and mares and the $200,000 Mohawk for 3-year-olds and up were moved to Nov. 5 and Nov. 6, respectively, because of the significant rainfall from a storm that blasted Long Island Tuesday and Wednesday.
The 9-furlong Empire Classic lured a field of eight led by two-time defending champion Mr. Buff and recent Pennsylvania Derby third and Albany and New York Derby winner Americanrevolution.
Chester and Mary Broman’s homebred Mr. Buff, champion New York-bred older male the last two seasons, hasn’t been out since a fifth in the Evan Shipman Handicap Aug. 11 at Saratoga Race Course. The 7-year-old Friend Or Foe gelding returns to Belmont, where he’s 5-for-17 with six placings, including those Empire Classic wins and a third in the race in 2018.
“He’s been training well into the Empire Classic,” trainer John Kimmel told the NYRA press office. “It’ll be a tough race, but he’s been working really well.”
Americanrevolution, winner of the Albany (above) and New York Derby, looks to upend older rivals in the Empire Classic. NYRA Photo.
Americanrevolution, bred by Fred Hertrich III and John Fielding, continued his rise to the top of the state’s 3-year-old male rankings with back-to-back victories in the New York Derby in July and Albany in August before finishing behind Hot Rod Charlie and Midnight Bourbon in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 25 at Parx Racing. The son of Constitution won his only start at Belmont back in June in his first for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.
“He’s coming off a big third against some more seasoned horses in the Pennsylvania Derby,” Pletcher said. “He’s come a long way in a short period of time, so the Empire Classic makes sense for him.”
Trainer Rudy Rodriguez, who runs Danny California, bred by West Point and 3C Thoroughbreds, and recent Ashley T. Cole Stakes winner Tiergan, bred by Hibiscus Stable, in the Empire Classic, will be represented in three of the other stakes on the day and looks forward to the challenge.
“It’s a very important day for us,” Rodriguez told NYRA. “We’re here year round in New York and to be able to compete in these kinds of races is extra special. These type of horses don’t come around often and this year we’re lucky to have a couple horses that we claimed that are doing well right now.”
Byhubbyhellomoney could give trainer Bob Dunham another popular victory in Saturday’s Empire Distaff. NYRA Photo.
The 1 1/16-mile Empire Distaff drew a field of 10 led by last year’s runner-up Mrs. Orb (bred by Rhapsody Farm), the 1-2 finishers in the Fleet Indian Stakes in Byhubbyhellomoney (Anderson Boulton Thoroughbreds) and Make Mischief (Avanti Stable), Critical Eye winner Bank Sting (McMahon), Saratoga Dew winner Dancing Kiki (Dutchess Views and SGO Thoroughbreds) and 2020 champion 3-year-old New York-bred filly Sharp Starr (Stonewall).
The day starts at 12:35 p.m. ET and the races will be part of FOX Sports’ America’s Day at the Races broadcast. Check out the broadcast schedule here.
The $250,000 Sleepy Hollow for 2-year-olds goes as the third race and opens the stakes at 1:41 p.m. Iris Smith Stable’s Shipsational, the Firestone-bred winner of the Bertram F. Bongard last time out, leads the field for the 1-mile stakes. Ten 2-year-old fillies were entered for the $250,000 Maid of the Mist, including Joseph A. Gimma runner-up Velvet Sister (bred by Michelle Nevin and Godolphin) and Saratoga winner and Grade 1 Spinaway seventh Sue Ellen Mishkin (Gold Square). The 1-mile Maid of the Mist goes as the seventh race at 3:47 p.m.
Sprinters make up the other two Showcase Day stakes – the $150,000 Hudson Handicap for 3-year-olds up at 6 1/2 furlongs and the $150,000 Iroquois for older fillies and mares at the same distance. The Hudson goes as the fifth at 2:43 p.m. with the Iroquois to follow as the sixth at 3:15 p.m.
